ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Six seconds after Troy Franklin raced off the line of scrimmage, a high-arcing pass floated down from the Buffalo sky into his waiting arms.
“The Broncos strike early with a touchdown to Franklin,” Jim Nantz bellowed from the booth at Highmark Stadium.
Those few moments in which the rookie receiver raced by a pair of Bills defenders gave the Broncos an early lead in the wild-card round of the playoffs — and offered Franklin an undeniable boost of confidence as he looks toward his second NFL season.
“That was the weight off my shoulders there, letting me know that I belong,” Franklin told DenverBroncos.com at the conclusion of mandatory minicamp.
Head Coach Sean Payton often notes that confidence is born from demonstrated ability, and Franklin’s catch offered that reassurance to the young receiver. Franklin, who caught 28 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season, acknowledged there was a “transition process” for him as he entered the league — and he had to work to get to a point where he could play freely. The fourth-round pick joined the Broncos with familiarity with quarterback Bo Nix after playing together at Oregon for a pair of seasons, but the two couldn’t quite connect on a deep shot until that afternoon in Western New York.
“It was just about me calming my mind down, going out there, trusting my process, trusting what the coaches tell me, our film and the things we’ve done in practice,” Franklin said as he reflected on his initial season. “It really does start with making the plays in practice. That helps a lot.”
For Franklin, that one play signified a step forward and set the tone for a strong 2025 offseason.
“We didn’t finish [the season] how we wanted to, but for me, personally, I caught a touchdown [and] my confidence was definitely up,” Franklin said. “Most definitely, it gave me a good [mindset] to go into the offseason and get to work.”
Payton said at the end of the offseason program that Franklin had a good offseason, and he previously mentioned that the second-year player made “a number of explosive plays” during Denver’s on-field work.
“There’s that [saying that] repetition is the mother of learning,” Payton said. “You’re seeing him play faster with a much greater awareness within each play. He’s extremely explosive, and I think he’s, I would say, five pounds heavier. A little thicker. He’s had a good spring.”
Franklin said he feels “way further along” than he did as a rookie, and he said he’s learned to be a pro by watching veterans like wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
“You’re getting in, you find your routine, you’re getting out to practice early, you’re going over your script, making sure you know the whole offense,” Franklin said. “Really pouring your time into the game. Football is easy — it’s really just the mental part. Once you get that down, you can just go out there and line up and play. Last year, I felt like I was lining up and still thinking.
“… Obviously, I’ve still got things to work on and to learn, but it’s night and day from last year. Going out there, I don’t have to think. I’m not hesitant. I know what everybody else is doing, which makes my job easier. I’m still learning, but it’s just way easier for me.”
In short, Franklin said he is “just playing football now” — and he’s eager to contribute via more than deep receptions down the field.
“I think anything is possible, honestly,” Franklin said. “It’s think it’s just all on me — me putting myself in the right position, being able to help my team in any way, being able to do anything the coaches ask me. … [I’ve] got to be that all-around guy.”
As he turns his attention toward training camp and his second season, Franklin said he’s found a good routine — and the Broncos are hopeful the Oregon product can take a leap in Year 2.
A year ago, Marvin Mims Jr. broke out in the latter part of the season. He recorded five touchdowns and a pair of 100-yard games over the season’s final five weeks, including a last-second game-tying touchdown grab in Cincinnati. During the offseason program, Payton volunteered that he believes Franklin could be the next player to make that kind of leap.
“I think you’re going to see those types of ascensions with players like Troy,” Payton said in late May.
Following an offseason fueled by a deep touchdown catch in Buffalo, Franklin may soon be making plenty more return trips to the end zone.
